Division VIII

Defending champion: Aliso Niguel, a 32-21 winner over Pacifica.

Seeded teams: 1. Rancho Alamitos (10-0), 2. La Mirada (9-0-1), 3. Covina (8-2), 4. Laguna Hills (9-1).

Dark horse: Last year, at-large entry Pacifica finished fourth in the Garden Grove League, then upset the second- and third-seeded teams, Laguna Hills and Rancho Alamitos, in reaching the final. Bellflower (7-3) could be this year’s Pacifica. It finished in a three-way tie for second with Lakewood Mayfair and Artesia in the Suburban League but lost a coin flip and wound up fourth.

Notes: Much of the luster is gone from the Rancho Alamitos-Aliso Niguel matchup, but the teams will meet in the first round. Last year, Aliso Niguel and Rancho were the division’s two top-seeded teams. They would have met in the final, but Rancho was upset in the semifinals by Pacifica. “I think it would have been a great game,” Rancho Alamitos Coach Doug Case said. “I think we were looking past Pacifica to that matchup.” This time, Rancho Alamitos will do everything it can not to look past Aliso Niguel, which lost five of its first six games and struggled to make the playoffs. The Wolverines (4-6) are the division’s only playoff team. “They’re maturing week in and week out,” Case said of Aliso Niguel. . . . Rancho Alamitos will probably be without running back Alex Blanco, who tore up his right knee in the seventh game. Blanco still wants to try to play some receiver and safety, but Case doesn’t see it happening. “He’s not going to get an inch on that field until I talk to his doctor,” Case said. . . . Despite losing to Rancho Alamitos in the regular-season finale, Covina remained the third-ranked team, and thus was seeded third. Covina is led by quarterback-safety Nick Covarrubias (6-2, 190), who has passed for more than 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns, completed 58% of his passes and has had only two intercepted. Covarrubius also leads Covina with three interceptions and is the kicker and punter. “He’s a throwback,” Covina Coach Darry Thomas said. “He gets mad when he has to come off the field.” . . . Thomas was impressed with Rancho Alamitos in Thursday’s 22-14 loss to the Vaqueros. But he said Rancho Alamitos is not the same team without Blanco (1,085 yards, 9.2 average). “Whether they say it or not, he’s a big loss,” Thomas said. . . . Two other teams that might enter the playoffs without star players are South Hills and Los Amigos, who are opponents Friday night at Garden Grove. South Hills’ top runner, Bart Carraso, and starting quarterback Ryan Smith, are probably out because of injuries. Sophomore Ryan Leadingham will probably start for Smith, who has a separated shoulder on his non-throwing side. “They haven’t been the same rushing team since they lost their tailback, so we’ll put some pressure on their sophomore quarterback,” Los Amigos Coach Roger Takahashi said. Los Amigos’ top runner, Levertis Riley (804 yards, 7.3 average), is questionable because of a strained ligament in his left knee.